Kats defeat Dragons
January 28, 2006 - Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)
Nashville Kats News Release
UNIONDALE, NY - The Nashville Kats scored 19 unanswered points at the end of the first half and ran away with a 57-28 win over the defending Eastern Division champion New York Dragons at Nassau Coliseum on Saturday night.
Nashville (1-0) got three touchdowns from Jarrick Hillery and used a stifling defense to hold the ordinarily high-octane Dragons offense to just 28 points and 241 total yards.
"It was a total team effort," said Kats head coach Pat Sperduto. "We put a complete game together and everybody contributed."
Nashville hounded AFL record-setting quarterback Aaron Garcia all night, sacking him a team-record seven times, intercepting him twice and also forcing a fumble on the center exchange. The Kats defense was led by Aaron McConnell, who created havoc for the Dragons. The second-year lineman had two sacks, including a safety, and recovered a fumble. Frank Carter, playing in his first game for the Kats after signing with the team as a free agent in the offseason, also added four sacks for Nashville, setting a team record for sacks in a game.
"We obviously got a great push up front," said Sperduto, "but our DB's helped make it happen by having such great coverage."
The Kats started Clint Stoerner at quarterback, ending months of speculation as to whether he or Leon Murray would start under center. He finished 20-of-31 for 254 yards and four TD's. Two of his TD's went to T.T. Toliver, who led the team with nine receptions for 132 yards. Cory Fleming, playing in his first game with the Kats since returning to the team in an offseason trade, also caught a TD pass.
After falling behind 14-7 midway through the second quarter, Nashville turned a seven-point deficit into a nine-point lead in a stretch of just five minutes and 13 seconds. After Jarrick Hillery returned a kickoff 58 yards for a TD to tie the game, Nashville added a safety on the next play from scrimmage and another TD to take a 23-14 lead. Tony Dodson added a 42-yard field goal as time expired in the half to give the Kats a 26-14 halftime edge.
In the second half, Nashville's offense got in gear extended its lead after Stoerner hit Hillery for a 23-yard TD strike. It was the third score of the night for Hillery, who scored on a run, reception and kick return before leaving the game with a dislocated elbow in the third quarter. The versatile veteran had 139 total yards on the night, earning him the game's Ironman award. In all, the Kats outscored New York (0-1) 50-14 in the game's last 39:52. The 57 points that Nashville racked up tied their high of last season.
Garcia, who was recently named one of the AFL's 20 Greatest Players, had a terrible night, going 27-of41 for 270 yards and four touchdowns. He was picked off twice, both times by Monty Montgomery, another offseason acquisition, and he fumbled once. The veteran QB was knocked to the turf repeatedly during the game.
Nashville hosts Columbus in its home opener next Friday at The Gaylord Entertainment Center.
Arena Football League (1987-2008) Stories from January 28, 2006
- Kats defeat Dragons - Nashville Kats
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